Southampton Transfers: 5 Players Saints Must Keep This Summer

5. Jay Rodriguez (Attacking Midfielder)

For this position in the slideshow it was a toss-up between Jay Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert, I know some people may find it strange that I have picked Rodriguez ahead of Lambert, even though the latter may have a better chance of being selected by England for the World Cup. However, it€™s important to remember that Lambert is now 32 years old, and I don€™t think his loss would be as great as some people think, despite the importance of the eight goals that he has scored in the league this season. Rodriguez, on the other hand, is very much the future of table as he is still only 24 years old. It€™s also worth pointing out that he is Southampton€™s leading scorer this season with 10 league goals as well as a better average rating than Lambert. I remember when the Saints sealed his transfer from Burnley for £7m, some people felt they had paid over the odds for an average Championship striker. However, time has proved that the club€™s judgement was precisely correct, and the player€™s adaptability is another massive plus point for him. Although, many still consider him a striker; he actually now plays most of his games for Southampton as an attacking midfielder. This also creates an interesting possibility for England in the present in the future. I€™m sure most Southampton fans would agree that it€™s imperative that Rodriguez is kept at the club.